Sharanagati

(from a lecture of Swami Tirtha, 05.01.2017 evening, Sofia)

(continues from the previous Monday)

 “Rama went to Dandakaranya forest with Sita and Lakshman to carry out the orders of His father – exile. There He dressed as a sadhu. Although His hair was matted, He was so beautiful – a teenager of about sixteen years. At that time sixty thousand sages were performing worship. Aradhana service means service in meditation to Radha-Krishna, Rama or others by mantra. They had been chanting Gopala mantra for thousands of years. During that long period of time however, they did not become like fish who if taken out of water, would die at once. The practices of these sages somehow had broken, they became weak. Their practices were much superior to yours. But still somehow they were weak. Your practices are very weak. Sometimes you chant your Gayatri mantra, sometimes you don’t. Sometimes you sit awake and sometimes you fall asleep. If you think about all your problems instead of concentrating on the mantras, your chanting will be like zero and you will fall asleep. Big problems will then quickly come at that time.

“So, these sages performed their somewhat weak practices. When they saw Rama however and He glanced upon them, then they had some inspiration and they began to pray to Him: “Please fulfill our desire!” Rama knew that they wanted to serve Radha and Krishna conjugal, in meeting and that they wanted to participate in rasa dance and other lilas.”[1]

Rasa dance is always described as a very poetic dance between the young Krishna and the young gopis. While all these sages performing their mantra meditation for thousands of years – they didn’t look like fresh young boys and girls. Yet they had a desire. They wanted to join these eternal lilas of this ever-fresh youth within His loving embrace.

If you look into the mirror, you don’t see the ever-fresh youth. You see some form. In that respect we are very similar to the old sages.

Baladev: Except that we are not sages.

Swami Tirtha: I also wanted to check two other qualities. What is your practice? At least they were chanting their mantras. So what is your practice? If you look in the mirror: ‘Mirror, mirror, tell me what is happening with this guy?’ Second: what is your desire? What is your practice and what is your desire? Please, try to face yourself. Be very honest and very strict with yourself – to find your practice and your goal. And then act accordingly.

So, these sages wanted to enter a personal encounter with Krishna. But at this time they were like sages – in male form. “Ramachandra was reading their mind. He therefore kindly and mercifully told them: “This time I cannot fulfill your desire. But in my next birth I will come as Krishna. And then in Vraja by the help of yoga-maya you will take birth from the gopis and at that time you can meet Me and I will fulfill your desires.”

If I received such a message, I would be ready to go on for one thousand years with my meditation! Now I have given you this message. Please be ready for the coming one thousand years to go on with your meditation.

(to be continued)

[1] Readings from a book of Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaj